Leg inflammation or leg edema is a frequent medical malady. The main reason of leg inflammation should be discovered and healed. It should not be pushed aside nor be dealt with liquid pills except if the cause has been identified. There are six biggest causes of leg swelling.

The major source of leg swelling is chronic venous insufficiency. Vein disease or vein disorders happen twice as often as coronary artery disease, three times more frequently than peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, and almost five times more widespread than congestive heart failure.

Vein disease has six names:

Venous stasis

Varicose veins

Chronic venous insufficiency

Venous hypertension

Venous reflux disease

Lymphedema
In this health issue the veins in the legs suffer a loss of their power to transfer the used blood back up and out of the legs to the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys to be filtered, replenished with essential nutrients and oxygen, and transported back out to the body. When this occurs, high pressure occurs in your leg veins. This high pressure results in discharging of fluid and other blood components into the leg outside of the blood vessels. When the veins are not able to effectively deliver the blood out of the legs with each heart beat, your heart pumps blood into your legs under increased and higher pressures. This can cause a generalized engorgement of the veins in your legs and accompanying this will come added leakage.

In addition, the blood in your legs ends up being rather toxic since it has not been cleaned by your kidneys. The quantity of oxygen in the blood lowers below normal. The nutrition is used up, and the waste from your legs gather in the uncirculated blood in your legs. This builds a generalized harmful state in your legs. This “toxic” blood makes your legs ill and creates inflammation. All these things result in swelling.
Swelling from veins is best early in the day and worse during the night time. When you lay down at night the blood finally comes back out of your legs and it is then filtered by your kidneys, nutrients is replenished by your intestines, your lungs add oxygen, your liver processes the blood, and your heart is able to pump the good healthy blood back out to the legs which are no longer engorged, the pressure in the legs is back to normal, and the blood is now good and healthy. By the morning your legs ought to seem at their very best and the cycle will begin again once you stand up and gravity alongside damaged venous circulation hinders the blood from returning again.

Congestive Heart Failure
The second most frequent reason for swelling to the legs is congestive heart failure. Over the years, before vein disease was understood very well, congestive heart failure was felt to be the reason behind all leg swelling until it can be medically backed differently, thus multiple patients with leg swelling some time ago and even now will take several different cardiac assessments to eliminate heart failure as a root cause. Definitely venous disease is considered the most common underlying cause and most people have a normal cardiac workup.

In the patients with congestive heart failure, the common signs or symptoms is generally difficulty of breathing. While resting many have difficulty of breathing on exertion and when they lie down flat. This is known as orthopnea and it frequently results in these people having to rest with their head elevated because once they lay totally horizontal it allows significant breathing difficulties.

Congestive heart failure is largely a consequence of one or both of two underlying health disorders; these are coronary artery disease or clots in the arteries and undiagnosed or untreated high arterial blood pressure or “hypertension”.

Kidney Failure
The third most frequent reason for leg swelling or leg edema is kidney failure. Progressed kidney failure will hinder the body’s ability to clear itself of surplus fluid resulting in fluid retention and leg swelling. It can also be correlated with undiagnosed arterial hypertension which is much more widespread in persons with diabetes.

Liver Failure
The fourth major cause of leg edema or leg swelling is liver failure. This could be a little bit more tricky, but when the liver is not operating very well the required protein in your bloodstream drops to dangerously low levels which then may cause leakage of fluid out of the vascular system and into the tissue, resulting in swelling in your legs or even abdomen. Most of these patients frequently have considerable swelling in their abdomen as well.

Thyroids
The fifth common root cause of leg edema is low thyroid or hypothyroidism. This is known as pretibial myxedema. This is also a little complicated, but once your thyroid hormones decline to an unhealthy level and is still there for a considerable amount of time your overall rate of metabolism declines very low and this contributes to swelling in your legs.

Lymphedema
Lastly, Lymphedema is where vessels often called lymphatics get damaged or blocked for many reasons, contributing to the incapability of your body to clear fluids from your legs. Many times this is as a result of lasting neglected venous insufficiency, but can even be resulting from trauma, operation, and much less likely cancer.

Regardless of the underlying cause, leg swelling is never natural, and a reason needs to be determined and dealt with accordingly. To identify the trigger of swelling in your legs, call Dr. Morgan in Houston at the Lone Star Vein Center. We specialize in treating vein disease using non-invasive and painless procedures such as VNUS Closure to return the health of your legs. Schedule an appointment and contact (281) 292-0121 to find out more.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a time machine that would allow you to go back and buy today’s collectible jewelry at yesterday’s prices? You can do the next best thing by buying jewelry today that will become sought after in the future. Here are eight tips to help you in your search for tomorrow’s collectible jewelry.

1. Quality and craftsmanship

Quality pieces command quality prices. Cheap jewelry is a dime a dozen at flea markets and resale shops. But quality pieces with crystal stones that still shimmer and faux pearls that have retained their luster paired with metal that hasn’t had its finish rubbed or flaked off, will always hold appeal for collectors.

2. Pieces hallmarked with the designer’s name

A designer’s name or mark on a piece adds instant value. It gives an item the cachet of the entire breadth of the designer’s work. Look for a hallmark on the back of pins or brooches, near the clasp of necklaces and bracelets, or on a separate hanging tag in the same finish as the metal.

3. Name recognition

Not every designer becomes well-known. Every collector of vintage jewelry probably has at least one piece in their collection with an obscure hallmark they can’t identify, and that’s fine if they like the piece. But when they come across a piece with an instantly recognizable name, they don’t hesitate to scoop it up. They know they’ve found something special — and they know they’ll be able to sell it in the future to someone who will appreciate the name as well as the style.

4. Small production per piece

The fewer pieces of an item there are in existence, the higher the demand and price. Opt for the offbeat or unusual — as long as you like it — over a generic piece with mass appeal. While both will have resale value if they’re made well, the unique piece should prove harder to find, thus driving up its resale price. If a more expensive item captures your heart, remember that fewer people buy a higher priced item which can create increased demand in the future.

5. Limited Edition pieces

A Limited Edition eliminates the guesswork of how many pieces were made. Limited Edition pieces should be stamped with both the total number in the Edition and the number of each particular piece. For example, piece number 12 in an addition of 250 will most likely be stamped on back “Ltd. Ed. 12/250”. If you buy a piece that isn’t stamped with the actual edition, but instead has a Certificate of Authenticity with that information, be sure to keep the Certificate with the item to ensure you get the optimum resale price in the future.

6. Thematic pieces

Look for pieces that will have crossover appeal to at least two groups of collectors. For example, Christmas jewelry is sought after by both jewelry collectors and Christmas collectors. If it’s an angel, you’ll add angel collectors to your list of potential buyers as well. The more people you have vying for an item, the higher your selling price will be.

7. Assurance of authenticity

Buy from a reputable retailer. Designers in all fields are plagued by knock-offs. An Authorized Reseller protects your investment by ensuring that you’re getting the genuine articles you’re paying for.

8. Buy what you like

This is the Cardinal Rule for collectors. You’ll never go wrong buying what you like. Today’s joy won’t be diminished if you aren’t able to sell something at a profit tomorrow. And if you truly love something — you probably won’t want to part with it anyway!

Remember these eight tips and you’ll have a much better chance of being happy today — and tomorrow — with your jewelry purchases!

Click here for information on one of today’s most prominent jewelry designers.

For the exercise activists and the occasional exercise participant alike, going to the gym, like all female endeavors, requires a great outfit. If fashion were irrelevant in the fitness world, tennis shoes would not come in the variety of colors and styles that they do. When we feel good in the clothes we wear, regardless of the occasion we walk a little taller due to the confidence radiating from within. And who among us doesn’t want that extra push when working out? On this note we reflect on the top 10 reasons to look your best at the gym.

1. Motivation and confidence!

Fitness apparel is no exception to wearing nice clothes and feeling great in them. Feeling good about yourself from head to toe is one of the many perks of a great outfit. When you mix it with exercise and advancing your physical health, imagine the body confidence your going to have! Having so much extra motivation about how your going to look even better in your new pants will keep you going for that extra set of reps! Achieve your goals by rewarding yourself with a fitness activewear outfit!

2. Function

Fashion aside for a moment, today’s activewear brands offer so many new perks. Companies use fabrics that wick away sweat from your body and keep you dry throughout your workout. Activewear fabrics breath wonderfully and move with the body, allowing you to feel cool and your clothing to move effortlessly as you do. Also, the activewear fabrics are often colorfast, so wash after wash the colors stay vibrant!

3. Flattering

We all have areas on our bodies where we wish we had a tad extra “concealing.” Activewear can be quite flattering. Most high end brands are made from a tight stretch material that actually makes you look slimmer. When paired with darker colors it will immediately create longer, leaner, flattering lines.

4. You never know….

You never know when fate is going to play a hand, so always be prepared! You could meet the man of your dreams coming off the elliptical. The gym is a great place to meet someone who shares similar interests.

5. Compliments

The gym or yoga studio is a very social place where chit-chat normally occurs. Looking your best is a sure fire way to draw in those compliments to no end! Who among us doesn’t love getting a compliment?!

6. Motivate fellow gym goers

We all know that guys at the gym work out harder when a girl in cute workout clothes walks past. By looking good you are motivating those boys a little bit harder.

7. Competition

Lets be honest here ladies; we are all competitive in one form or another. Who can run the fastest, who can do that yoga pose a little bit deeper and who can climb the most stairs. No matter the venue, the best dressed is always a top contender. Who is wearing the best activewear?

8. Save time

Looking good at the gym means you look good on your way to the gym and immediately after the gym. Whether you are running an errand before or meeting the girls for a drink after, a well placed gym outfit can save the wardrobe changes without sacrificing the fashion!

9. Consider the alternative!

Now working out is not like going to the Oscars; we do not spend three hours on our hair and makeup prior, but some effort is still needed. How do you get that extra self assured boost when you are wearing a stained sweatshirt and dripping with sweat stains?!

10. You deserve it!

You play hard and you work even harder! Its ok, and even necessary to spoil yourself every once and awhile. It will do you a world of good to allow yourself to indulge in something that not only makes you feel fantastic but helps your health as well!

Looking good at the gym is about achieving you highest self greatness. When we look and feel our best we preform our best. Performance is altered by our emotional and mental state. Amazingly enough, something as simple as an activewear top and matching pants will have huge impacts for the better. Always be the best you can be, inside and out.